Italy’s National Football Team Welcomes New Talent
In a fresh development under the leadership of Gennaro Gattuso, Italy’s national football team has welcomed three new players, marking their inaugural call-up to the Azzurri. Among these newcomers is 18-year-old Giovanni Leoni, a centre-back recently transferred to Liverpool from Parma. Alongside him are Francesco Pio Esposito of Inter Milan and Giovanni Fabbian from Bologna, both earning their first chance to represent Italy. This announcement is particularly significant as it occurs following Gattuso’s appointment, succeeding Luciano Spalletti, who was dismissed in June.
Upcoming Challenges for the Azzurri
The Italian squad is under pressure to perform, as they face critical qualification matches for the World Cup. Currently, Italy holds a mere three points from two matches within Group I, while Norway leads with 12 points after four games. Italy’s upcoming fixtures include a match against Estonia in Bergamo next Friday, followed by a face-off with Israel in Hungary.
Squad Overview
Despite being a new face at Liverpool, Leoni has yet to make his debut in the Premier League. Gattuso has also reinstated forward Gianluca Scamacca, who battled injuries, and Gianluca Mancini from Roma, who had previously been omitted by Spalletti. Other notable selections include Matteo Retegui, who recently moved to Saudi Arabia, and Sandro Tonali, who is nursing a shoulder injury.
Complete Squad
The complete squad features a mix of established players and fresh talent:
- Goalkeepers: Marco Carnesecchi (Atalanta), Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG), Alex Meret (Napoli), Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham).
- Defenders: Alessandro Bastoni (Inter), Raoul Bellanova (Atalanta), Riccardo Calafiori (Arsenal), Andrea Cambiaso (Juventus), Giovanni Di Lorenzo (Napoli), Federico Dimarco (Inter), Federico Gatti (Juventus), Giovanni Leoni (Liverpool), Gianluca Mancini (Roma).
- Midfielders: Nicolò Barella (Inter), Giovanni Fabbian (Bologna), Davide Frattesi (Inter), Manuel Locatelli (Juventus), Nicolò Rovella (Lazio), Sandro Tonali (Newcastle).
- Forwards: Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter), Moise Kean (Fiorentina), Daniel Maldini (Atalanta), Riccardo Orsolini (Bologna), Matteo Politano (Napoli), Giacomo Raspadori (Atlético Madrid), Mateo Retegui (Al Qadsiah), Gianluca Scamacca (Atalanta), Mattia Zaccagni (Lazio).
